From Inside Her Heart
by Branwyn.Banon
Summary: AU Harry has finished school and is about to embark on his life as an adult. He has three important goals to accomplish. He needs to establish a career, find a home for himself and take care of a particularly nasty Dark Lord. Instead he falls in love with


**Disclaimer:**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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Prologue - A Rather Brilliant Morning.

Harry joined the rest of the Weasley family around the breakfast table and tucked into the food set out in the middle. Hermione had come to stay with him and Ron last night and he was pleased to see his friend after the two week separation. School was over now and soon they would be starting on their adult lives so they wouldn't be seeing each other on a daily basis anymore.

His last two years of school had been remarkably peaceful on the Voldemort front for some unknown reason but he wasn't about to argue with the status quo. Not when it meant he finally had the opportunity to behave like a normal teenager for a change; with little more to occupy his mind than school and quidditch. And the odd girl of course but he still hadn't been very successful with his romantic life. He had dated both Hannah Abbot and Lisa Turpin briefly during his sixth year but had remained single since then. If he were questioned by anyone he would claim the pressures of being quidditch captain and the upcoming NEWTS as his reason but in reality he was simply waiting for a particular girl to notice he existed.

Not that it seemed likely she would notice him anytime in the near future. Given the fact that said girl was currently seated opposite him and had not even bothered to look at him when she replied to his good morning. Quite frankly he was rather miffed about the whole thing and would have made his displeasure known if it wouldn't have generated some rather embarrassing questions. Questions he certainly didn't want to answer in front of an older brother well-known for his tendency to hex first and ask questions later when confronted with his younger sister's boyfriends. He decided to settle for a dignified silence in the hopes she would be impressed with his cool behaviour. Of course, he had to get her to realise he was there first. That was the most difficult part of the operation he thought with a sigh.

'And what have you got to sigh about then Harry?' Hermione snapped.

_Oh shit!_ he thought. _There went the whole don't wake a sleeping dragon policy he and Ron had decided to adopt for today._ 'Nothing Hermione,' he said nervously. 'It wasn't a sigh, more of a letting out of built-up air really.'

Despite the distinct possibility that Hermione was about to hex him into next week, he risked taking his eyes from her to have a quick peek at Ginny. She had noticed his presence now of course and was looking at him like he was a gormless twit. Why couldn't she have noticed him earlier when he had been acting cool?

'Harry!' He cringed mentally at the fury in her tone as he turned towards the other female present at the table. 'Do you really expect me to believe that lame piece of garbage you just fed me?'

Actually to be perfectly honest he didn't but he had hoped she would be too distracted by the pending arrival of the morning mail to listen to him. Obviously he was wrong. Very wrong judging by the way she was glaring at him. And now she looked like she expected him to answer that question. _Not bloody likely! He wasn't suicidal by any stretch of the imagination. _

She was still looking at him expectantly though. _What would Sirius do he thought desperately?_ The answer came to him and he fought down a smirk as he prepared to answer. 'Quite frankly I really don't see why my sighing it is any of your business,' he said as casually as he could. He saw Ron's jaw fall open in astonishment and he fought back the urge to laugh at him. Now would not be a good time to laugh!

Hermione's face was turning the same shade of purple that his uncle's did when he was about to explode and he wondered vaguely what happened to the possessions of people who died without a will. He couldn't help but notice after another sneak peek that Ginny was looking rather impressed with him now. Perhaps she was impressed enough to hold his hand while he perished from whatever curse Hermione was getting ready to launch at him.

'Oh look there's the morning mail,' Ron said in a relieved voice. Hermione immediately forgot whatever she was about to say and rushed over to the window to peer out anxiously.

'You are one lucky bastard Potter,' Ginny said in tones of undisguised admiration. 'For a minute there I thought she was going to do Voldemort a favour and off you on the spot. What on earth possessed you to say that to her on today of all days?'

He resisted the urge to puff up his chest in front of her and settled instead for a smirk. 'I could tell by the look on her face that I was going to get it no matter what I said so I decided I might as well give her something worthwhile to blow her top over.'

Ginny was smiling at him now. It was his favourite smile too. The one which made her eyes dance with mischief and he couldn't help but grin back at her.

'Oi Potter!' Ron snapped. The untimely interruption wiped the smile from her face and he felt a burst of anger well up inside of him. He was getting awfully sick of the attitude his best friends were giving him today.

'What is it with you and Hermione and snapping at me?' he growled. 'Why can't you talk to me like civilised people?' Ron bristled at his comment but he was beyond caring.

'Well if you don't want me to snap at you then stop flirting with my bloody sister,' Ron said belligerently.

'I'll flirt with whoever I damn well like and since that happens to be your sister you'll just have to deal with it. I'm not about to give up flirting with the most brilliant girl I know just because it pisses you off,' he snapped back without thinking. The silence in the kitchen when he finished speaking was absolute. Mrs Weasley was so stunned she forgot to tell him off about his language. 'Did I just say what I think I did?' he asked looking from one stunned face to another.

He risked a look at Ginny and saw his favourite smile back on her face. 'You know Potter you're rather brilliant yourself when you get forceful,' she said cheekily. He was so flabbergasted he didn't even notice when Hedwig dropped his NEWT results on his head. Not that he cared about his results anymore. The fact that Ginny Weasley thought he was rather brilliant when he was forceful was more than enough for him to live on for the next decade.

'Fancy a walk to the village with me then?' she asked. 'Mum wants me to pick up some shopping for our celebration dinner tonight.'

'Sure,' he said following her out the door.

'Harry what about your NEWTS?' Hermione called after him. He didn't hear though because his hearing was now selectively tuned to the redhead walking by his side.


End file.
